Dishwashing machine



y 16, 1957 F. E. LA FLAME 3,319,640

I DISHWASHING MACHINE /6L [,2 INVENTOR.

' Z? 52112. [I LaFI ame ff BY )5 j (5m 5 26 [8 H1 ATTORNEY y 1967 F. E. LA FLAME DISHWASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23, 1965 mm m" M N E. R v a mag 1 n k H m y Hm United States Patent Ofiflce 3,319,649 Fatented May 16, 1967.

3,319,640 DISHWASHING MACHINE Frank E. La Flame, Dayton, Ghiu, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 431,497 2 Claims. (Cl. 134-139) This invention relates to an automatic dishwashing machine with a fixed spray tube liquid circulating system.

Present-day automatic dishwashing machines typically include a washing container that has two or more utensil supporting racks therein disposed at different levels on top of one another. A preferred form of a fluid distributing system has been to locate a rotary spray arm in the lower portion or sump region of the water container to provide a primary fluid discharge stream against the utensils supported within the water container. In such arrangements, however, the lower rotary spray arm often has a subtsantial portion of the washing fluid directed therefrom blocked by utensils in a lower rack whereby utensils on an upper rack have little or no washing fluid directed thereagainst.

One solution to the problem has been the provision of a fixed, stationary spray tube on the water container disposed between an upper and a lower utensil support rack wherein a secondary fluid distributing system directs pressurized fluid to the stationary tube for distribution therefrom against articles in the upper rack for removing soil therefrom. A typical system of this type is illustrated in United States Patent No. 3,126,900, issued Mar. 31, 1964. While fluid distributing systems of this type are suitable for their intended purpose, they require a second fluid distributing pump for supplying fluid to the fixed distributing tube and, furthermore, include a sealed joint between the interior of the water container and the exterior thereof through which fluid can leak.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve dishwashers of the type having a stationary upper fluid distributing tube by the provision therein of means located completely interiorly of the washing container for supplying pressurized fluid to the upper stationary distributing arm for distribution against the rack in washing and rotating driving relationship therewith.

A further object of the present invention is to improve dishwashers of the type including an upper fluid distributing tube stationarily secured to the washing compartment and operative to direct fluid into cleaning and drive relationship with an upper rotatable basket in the washing compartment by the provision of a two-pump dishwasher fluid supply system including a drain pump for discharging fluid from the sump of the water container during a drain cycle of operation and a primary washing fluid circulation pump operative to supply pressurized fluid to a rotatable spray arm in the lower part of the Water container for cleaning articles in a bottom supported dish rack wherein the rotatable spray arm includes a nozzle portion thereon for directing fluid into a venturi located in constantly fixed axial alignment with the spray nozzle and wherein means are provided to communicate the venturi with the interior of the upper stationarily located spray tube for redirection against an upper rotatable dish rack.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view partially broken away and in vertical section of a dishwasher including the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a venturi member in the fluid distribution system of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view of a nozzle in a fluid distributing arm of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 an automatic dishwashing machine 19 is illustrated including an outer cabinet 12 having side walls 14, 16, a front wall 18, a rear wall 2% and a top 22. The front wall 18 has an access opening 24 formed therein closed by a downwardly pivoting front door member 26 including a continuous, resilient sealing strip 28 about the periphery thereof on the inside surface thereof that sealingly engages the front wall 18 about the access opening therein to seal against leakage from' the interior 30 of a water container 32. The water container 32 has a downwardly inclined wall portion 34 at the bottom thereof to form a sump region 36 in which is located a plural pump system 38 of the type more particularly set forth in my copending application, Ser. No. 341,209, now Patent No. 3,265,311, filed Jan. 30, 1964. For purposes of this specification, it is only necessary to point out that the pump system 38 is supported by the bottom 34 of the water container 32 and contains a reversible electric motor 40, a drain pump 42 for draining fluid from the sump region 36 and discharging it through a drain conduit 44 and a primary Washing fluid circulation pump 46 for discharging fluid from the sump region into a rotatable spray distributing arm 48.

The spray arm 48 is operative during a washing cycle of operation to distribute washing fluid against a dish rack 50 supported in a lower portion of the interior 30 of the water container 32, as best seen in FIGURE 1, on a roller track assembly 52 on which the rack 50 is movable into and out of the water container 32 through the front access opening 24 when the door 26 is opened. When utensils are stacked on the dish rack 50 for cleaning, the spray pattern from the bottom located rotatable spray arm 48 is effectively dissipated to thereby require additional means for supplying fluid to a dish rack 54 supported in an upper portion of the water container interior 30 at a point above the lower dish rack 5i).

One solution to this problem is that set forth in the previously mentioned United States Patent No. 3,126,900 as including an elongated fluid distributing spray nozzle or tube that is fixedly secured to the wall of the water container for distributing fluid against the upper dish rack 54 for cleaning articles therein. The present invention eliminates the need for a secondary washing fluid pump for distributing fluid to such a stationary nozzle member and, moreover, eliminates the need for a seal from the exterior of the water container and the interior 30 thereof through which fluid was previously distributed into the stationary nozzle.

More particularly, in the present invention, an elongated tubular fluid distributing member 56 like that in the previously mentioned patent is disposed between the racks 50 and 54 and has one end thereof fixedly secured to a bracket 58 on the interior surface of the water container 32. The member 56 is cantilevered horizontally inwardly of the wall of the container 32, as seen in FIG- URE 1, so as to be located in a closed, spaced, fixed relationship with the underside of the upper dish rack 54. The member 56 includes a plurality of fluid discharge openings 60 therein which communicate with an interior space 62 in the member 56 that, in turn, communicates with a chamber 64 formed by an enclosure 66 fixedly secured to the end of the fluid distributing member 56.

The enclosure 66 has a venturi 68 located therein and secured thereto so as to be in a constantly fixed vertical axial alignment with a nozzle forming portion 70 located centrally of the lower rotatable spray arm 48. The nozzle 70 directs fluid from the interior 72 of the rotatable spray arm 48 upwardly as a high-velocity stream which, because of the fixed axial alignment between the venturi 68 and the nozzle 76, is accurately and centrally directed through an inlet opening 7 4 of the venturi 68 from whence it is discharged through a high-pressure outlet 76 of the venturi 68 into the chamber 64 for distribution therefrom through the passageway 62 in the member 56 from whence fluid is directed at an inclination from the horizontal, as best seen in FIGURE 3, against the rack 54.

In accordance with certain of the principles of the present invention, the rack 54 is rotatably supported on a flange member 78 on the bottom end of a support post 80 so that fluid distributed from the member 56 will react with the rack 54 to cause rotation thereof relative to the water container 32 whereby articles supported thereon are rotated with respect to the fluid being distributed from the member 56 so as to thoroughly clean the surfaces of such articles.

In the illustrated arrangement the post 80 is secured to a framework 82 that is carried by a roller and track assembly 84 for allowing the rotatable dish rack 54 to be moved from the Water container through the front access opening 24 for loading.

By virtue of the present invention, a fixed, stationary fluid distributing member can be utilized, as in the past, for spraying articles on an upper dish rack member without requiring the need for a secondary fluid distributing pump or elaborate seal means for directing fluid into the fixed stationary distributing member Moreover, by the provision of the fixed stationary fluid distributing member, a pressure conversion venturi can be accurately and continually maintained in alignment with a high-velocity jet stream emitting from a nozzle supported therebelow in the water container wherein the venturi and nozzle cooperate to supply pressurized fluid into the stationary fluid distributing member that washes and rotates an upper dish rack otherwise isolated from a lower rotatable spray arm by a lower dish rack.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an automatic dishwasher the combination of, a water container including a sump region, a first dish rack supported on said container immediately above said sump region, a fluid circulating pump supported on said container within said sump region including an inlet and an outlet, a spray arm rotatably supported on said pump and driven by fluid discharged through said outlet to distribute fluid against articles supported on said first dish rack, said spray arm having an upwardly facing nozzle therein for directing a high-velocity fluid stream upwardly through said water container, a second dish rack supported on said container above said first dish rack, an elongated tubular fluid distributing member having one end thereof fixedly secured to said water container and the opposite end thereof cantilevered horizontally inwardly of said water container in fixed spaced relationship with said rotatable second dish rack, a venturi fixedly secured on the end of said tubular fluid distributing member having an inlet opening fixed in a constant vertical axial alignment with said nozzle for receiving fluid therefrom, said venturi having a high-pressure outlet, means for communicating said high-pressure outlet with the interior of said fluid distributing member, means forming a plurality of openings in said fluid distributing member for distributing pressurized fluid therefrom upwardly against said upper rack into cleaning relationship therewith.

2. In an automatic dishwasher the combination of, a water container including a sump region, a first dish rack supported on said container immediately above said sump region, a fluid circulating pump supported on said container within said sump region including an inlet and an outlet, a spray arm rotatably supported on said pump outlet and driven by fluid discharged through said outlet to distribute fluid against articles supported on said first dish rack, said spray arm having an upwardly facing nozzle therein for directing a high-velocity fluid stream upwardly through said water container, a second dish rack supported on said container above said first dish rack, means for supporting said second dish rack for rotation with respect to said water container, an elongated tubular fluid distributing member having one end thereof fixedly secured to said water container and the opposite end thereof cantilevered horizontally inwardly of said water container in fixed spaced relationship with said rotatable second dish rack, a venturi fixedly secured on the end of said tubular fluid distributing member having an inlet opening fixed in a constant vertical axial alignment with said nozzle for receiving fluid therefrom, said venturi having a highpressure outlet, means for communicating said highpressure outlet with the interior of said fluid distributing member, means forming a plurality of openings in said fluid distributing member for distributing pressurized fluid therefrom upwardly against said upper rack into cleaning and rotative drive relationship therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,067,759 12/1962 Guth et al 134-176 3,179,307 4/1965 Duncan et al 134148 X 3,180,348 4/1965 Clearman 134-148 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

r R. L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER THE COMBINATION OF, A WATER CONTAINER INCLUDING A SUMP REGION, A FIRST DISH RACK SUPPORTED ON SAID CONTAINER IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID SUMP REGION, A FLUID CIRCULATING PUMP SUPPORTED ON SAID CONTAINER WITHIN SAID SUMP REGION INCLUDING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, A SPRAY ARM ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID PUMP AND DRIVEN BY FLUID DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID OUTLET TO DISTRIBUTE FLUID AGAINST ARTICLES SUPPORTED ON SAID FIRST DISH RACK, SAID SPRAY ARM HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING NOZZLE THEREIN FOR DIRECTING A HIGH-VELOCITY FLUID STREAM UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID WATER CONTAINER, A SECOND DISH RACK SUPPORTED ON SAID CONTAINER ABOVE SAID FIRST DISH RACK, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER HAVING ONE END THEREOF FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID WATER CONTAINER AND THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF CANTILEVERED HORIZONTALLY INWARDLY OF SAID WATER CONTAINER IN FIXED SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ROTATABLE SECOND DISH RACK, A VENTURI FIXEDLY SECURED ON THE END OF SAID TUBULAR FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER HAVING AN INLET OPENING FIXED IN A CONSTANT VERTICAL AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID NOZZLE FOR RECEIVING FLUID THEREFROM, SAID VENTURI HAVING A HIGH-PRESSURE OUTLET, MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SAID HIGH-PRESSURE OUTLET WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER, MEANS FORMING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS IN SAID FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER FOR DISTRIBUTING PRESSURIZED FLUID THEREFROM UPWARDLY AGAINST SAID UPPER RACK INTO CLEANING RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH. 